Canada finally accedes to Arms Trade Treaty

Ottawa has finally announced that Canada will become a party to the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) later this year. The government has introduced Bill C-47 which amends the Export and Import Permits Act to ensure full compliance. In a press release on June 19, Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced, "We are taking a stronger and more rigorous approach to the export of Canadian arms. Today’s announcement is a significant milestone in Canada’s contributions to international efforts to combat the illicit trade of weapons."

The Arms Trade Treaty's aim, as expressed in Article 1, is to "Establish the highest possible common international standards for regulating or improving the regulation of the international trade in conventional arms" and to "Prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in conventional arms and prevent their diversion." The treaty applies to all conventional arms in eight categories: battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, artillery and combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles and missile launchers, and small arms and light weapons. Various Canadian gun groups, including the National Firearms Association, unsurprisingly oppose Canada signing the treaty.

Until the treaty was negotiated there was no effective international legislation on the global arms trade. There were nuclear, chemical and biological weapons treaties but nothing on the conventional weapons that kill hundreds of people around the world every day and provide the major weaponry for terrorist and other violent groups. National regulations are generally inadequate or absent in dealing with a globalized trade.

As a next step, it would be nice to see the government halt its export of light-armoured vehicles (LAVs) to Saudi Arabia, particularly considering there are credible reports they are being used in Yemen. But for the moment, hearing that we will sign the ATT is welcome news indeed.